When a student leaves home for university, whether in the next town or across the ocean, it is a huge transition for both student and parents. Emotions run high – whether acknowledged or not – and some preparation can be helpful:

Thinking ahead about how you might feel can be very helpful – along with talking to other parents who’ve already seen their children off to university.

Much of the stress for parents comes from heightened concern about the student’s well-being at a time when you suddenly have a lot less access to information. Although the issues and advice differ slightly if your student heads to the UK or the US, no matter where the university is, allow yourself a bit of time to grieve the end of an important stage in both of your lives.

To conclude with a pragmatic note, save yourself some anxiety by investing in special insurance for your student’s possessions. My children have both benefited from College Student Property Insurance offered by NSSI for students in the US. (I have no connection with this company except as a policy holder and don’t receive any referral fee or compensation from them.) My daughter’s share of the cost of replacing her laptop, iPhone, and iPad stolen while traveling in Nicaragua was $25. Similar insurance – but with different conditions – is known as Student Contents Insurance Cover in the UK.